Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, June 9, 2025, Kolkata: With West Bengal heading toward Assembly elections next year, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has begun early preparations for its annual July 21 Martyrs’ Day event. Recognized as a key moment on the party’s political calendar, this year’s observance carries added weight as it sets the stage for what could become the opening of a high-stakes electoral campaign.

Organized primarily by the student and youth wings of the party in consultation with senior leaders, Martyrs’ Day commemorates the death of 13 individuals during a political rally on July 21, 1993. Preparations this year have commenced earlier than usual. A key preparatory meeting is scheduled at the party’s Bhabanipur office next week, with invitations already extended to district presidents, chairpersons, and the core committees from Kolkata North and Birbhum organizational districts.

Every year, the program draws significant attention from across the state. Held at Dharmatala Square in Kolkata, the central gathering typically features prominent student and youth leaders, along with party supremo Mamata Banerjee and All India General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee. The occasion is marked by political messages, organizational mobilization, and reaffirmation of the party’s political vision.

The origin of Martyrs’ Day dates back to July 21, 1993, when a protest march led by Mamata Banerjee—then a Youth Congress leader—demanded the mandatory use of photo voter ID cards in elections. The rally, organized against the backdrop of political unrest and internal conflict within the Congress party, was directed toward the Writers’ Building, the administrative headquarters of the West Bengal government. It culminated in a violent confrontation with law enforcement, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals following police firing. The event had a profound impact on the political landscape of the state and played a crucial role in shaping Banerjee’s subsequent political trajectory.

Over the years, the narrative surrounding the 1993 incident has remained contentious. The official justification for the protest was electoral reform—specifically the implementation of voter ID cards, which falls under the purview of the Election Commission of India, not the state government. However, analysts and critics have long questioned the true intent of the rally, suggesting it may have stemmed more from intra-party rivalries within the Congress than from democratic demands.

Eyewitness accounts and later investigations revealed that parts of the crowd engaged in violence, vandalism, and arson. Security personnel were severely injured, and weapons including loaded pipe guns and bombs were recovered from the scene. Despite the widespread disruption and ensuing casualties, no senior leaders were ultimately held accountable after multiple inquiries. A commission led by retired Justice Sushanta Chatterjee—set up by the Trinamool Congress government after assuming power in 2011—did not attribute direct responsibility to the leadership of the then Left Front government or the police. Its report, submitted in 2014, controversially concluded that at least one of the deceased died from cirrhosis of the liver, not police action.

The political fallout from the incident was substantial. Mamata Banerjee, who had briefly held a ministerial role in the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led central government, went on to form the All India Trinamool Congress after distancing herself from the Congress party. Over time, July 21 became a symbolic cornerstone of her political movement. Every year since, the event has been commemorated as Martyrs’ Day, serving both as a remembrance and a rallying cry for party workers.

However, the legacy of the day continues to evoke debate. While the Trinamool Congress portrays the 13 deceased individuals as martyrs of a democratic cause, others contest this characterization due to the violence associated with the protest. Questions linger about the planning, intent, and aftermath of the demonstration. The fact that Manish Gupta, the then Home Secretary who authorized the police firing, later joined the Trinamool Congress and became a cabinet minister, adds another complex layer to the historical narrative.

As July 21, 2025, approaches, the Trinamool Congress seeks not only to honor the memory of the 1993 protest but also to galvanize its youth base and reaffirm its political direction in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections. With attention again turning to Dharmatala, the event is expected to serve as both a tribute and a strategic political platform in the shifting landscape of West Bengal politics.

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, Kolkata, June 8, 2025: The Calcutta High Court has directed Trinamool Congress state general secretary Kunal Ghosh to appear in person before a specially constituted three-judge bench on June 16 at 12:30 p.m. in connection with a contempt of court case arising from a controversial protest near the court premises.

The notice, served through Narkeldanga Police Station, clearly states that Ghosh must remain present in court until permitted to leave and must explain why punitive action, including imprisonment, should not be initiated against him. Legal experts have noted that failure to appear or provide a satisfactory explanation could result in immediate imprisonment from the courtroom, should the court find sufficient grounds under contempt laws.

The contempt proceedings stem from a protest held in April by a group of job aspirants for upper-primary teaching positions. The demonstrators staged their protest outside the chamber of CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, accusing him of legal actions that allegedly led to the cancellation of several school job appointments in West Bengal. During the protest, derogatory remarks were reportedly made against Justice Biswajit Basu, whose judicial observations in related cases had drawn public attention.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam of the Calcutta High Court ordered the Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma to investigate the incident and identify the individuals involved. A contempt case was subsequently initiated, and a special bench comprising Justices Arijit Banerjee, Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, and Rajarshi Bharadwaj was constituted to hear it.

Ghosh, along with six other individuals, had been directed to file reply affidavits. However, none of them complied within the stipulated timeframe, prompting the court to issue contempt rules against all seven. Ghosh has now officially received the rule notice.

Ghosh’s legal counsel, Biswaroop Bhattacharya and Ayan Chakraborty, have stated that their client was not present during the protest in question. They added that while their affidavit is ready, the recent submission of a police report compelled them to delay filing it, as they wish to reference the report in their submission.

This case adds to a growing list of contempt matters being closely monitored by the judiciary. Recently, the Calcutta High Court ordered a four-day jail term for an advocate for making slanderous remarks against a judge—setting a precedent that highlights the court’s zero-tolerance approach to acts undermining judicial dignity.

As of now, the court awaits Kunal Ghosh’s appearance and explanation on June 16, which could prove pivotal in determining the next legal course of action.

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, June 8, 2025, Kolkata: The newly inaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha has emerged as a point of political contention in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently announced that offerings—referred to as “prasad”—from the Digha temple would be distributed to households across the state starting June 17. The initiative is being carried out through the state’s ‘Duare Ration’ (door-to-door ration) scheme, with arrangements being coordinated by Block Development Officers (BDOs) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs). Sweet shops in each locality have been contacted to prepare the boxes, which will include traditional Bengali sweets like pera and gaja, along with images of the temple.

This announcement has triggered a sharp reaction from Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who has questioned the authenticity of the offerings being described as prasad. Speaking to the media on Friday, Adhikari alleged that the state government is misrepresenting locally sourced sweets as temple prasad, thereby hurting the sentiments of Hindu devotees. He stated that although Rs 20 per box has been allocated for the initiative, the content does not originate from the temple, calling it “demeaning to Hindu dharma.” He urged people to treat the contents as ordinary sweets and not as religious offerings.

In response to the criticism, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has defended the initiative. State Information and Culture Minister Indranil Sen refuted Adhikari’s claims, asserting that the prasad will indeed be sourced from the Jagannath Temple and distributed with proper religious consideration. Sen emphasized that the program is intended to allow access to temple offerings for those unable to travel to Digha. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicizing a community outreach effort and undermining the Chief Minister’s inclusive development initiatives, including her contributions to other religious sites like Dakshineswar, Kalighat, and Kankalitala.

Sen further claimed that the BJP’s criticism is a deliberate attempt to downplay the state government’s work. He reiterated that the Chief Minister’s intention was to provide a symbolic religious connection to all households, especially those who cannot personally visit the temple.

The Jagannath Temple in Digha, located in the Purba Medinipur district, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in May 2025. The temple, a significant new religious site in Bengal, has quickly become a focal point in the evolving political narrative of the state.